Back To When It All Began
by Sherlockedinseattle
Summary: Betty and Jughead were best friends, until he suddenly disappeared from her life without explanation. Now he's back in Riverdale after 4 years away, but Betty quickly realizes that things are definitely not the same. Bughead is endgame, but this is a slow burn, friends-to-romance kind of story. Rating T just in case, for future chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first Riverdale fic, but I, like many of you, have fallen in love with Bughead and have become completely obsessed with Riverdale. I just had this idea pop into my head the other day so I thought I'd write it down. This is definitely AU, but rest assured, Bughead is endgame, so some of it will line up with the show. P.S. I like a slow burn romance so that's the plan for this one. Also, I'm planning on switching up the perspectives so chapters will be from Betty's and Jughead's perspectives. Hope you like it!**

* * *

Chapter One: Memories

"He didn't even have the decency to text me! Can you believe that?" Kevin exclaimed. Betty shook her head in disbelief, pulling her algebra book from her locker, but before she was able to respond, she heard Kevin let out a loud gasp. She turned toward the direction in which he was looking, and let out a gasp herself. Her pulse sped up while everything seemed to slow down around her. Against the glare of the sunlight streaming in through the open door, a familiar face emerged through the doors of Riverdale High. Betty was suddenly flooded with seven years worth of memories of that very face. Because thirty feet away from her stood the boy that she had grown up with. The boy that she had not seen nor heard from in four years. The boy that disappeared from her life, with no explanation. Not even a goodbye. The boy with the blue-green eyes and the ever-present gray crown beanie. Jughead Jones was back in Riverdale.

Suddenly Betty was six years old again…

 _With her arms spread out and her pink satin cape tied around her neck and flapping in the breeze behind her, she and Archie, wearing his matching red cape, ran around the park as their superhero alter egos. "Archie, like this! You have to jump!" she laughed, as she leapt over branches and pinecones. Archie laughed along with her, following her lead, and jumping around in the grass. He ran across the field, his cape billowing behind him; his back turned away from Betty. She attempted to jump over a puddle, but underestimated its size and fell straight into the water with a large splash. As she pulled herself up to her knees, sopping wet, her blond pigtails dipped in mud, she spotted a boy about her age, walking towards her. He was alone, dressed in a plain black t-shirt and shorts, despite the chilly fall air, with a funny gray hat covering his dark wavy hair. Forgetting the fact that she was wet and her knees really hurt, she smiled at him. "Are you okay?" he asked quietly, reaching his hand down to help her stand up. Taking his hand, she took a moment to study his face, noticing the way his eyes changed color from blue to green depending on the light, the small pattern of moles on his cheek, the way his dark hair fell across his forehead, and the way the edges of his mouth pulled upward in a shy smile. She nodded, replying, "I'm Betty, what's your name?" "Jughead," he stated, looking down at his feet. "Jughead? That's a funny name," she said, giggling. He just shrugged, a little smirk on his face. "Do you want to play with us?" she asked. She continued before he could reply, "You can wear my cape if you want," starting to unknot the tie from her neck. She pointed over at her red-haired friend coming down the hill, "That's Archie. He's my best friend. Do you have a best friend? My mom made these capes and she thinks my favorite color is pink, but it's not. It's blue. But I still like it…do you like it? What's your favorite color?"_

 _The raven-haired boy stood quietly, listening to the rapid-fire words coming out of the small blonde girl in front of him, but had not yet responded to any of her questions. Betty paused for a moment, cocked her head to one side and smiled at him, "You don't talk much do you?" A smile slowly spread across his face, making his eyes light up. "C'mon!" Betty said excitedly. She grabbed his hand and pulled him along with her, noticing that he didn't even try to resist her._

* * *

The three of them—she, Jughead, and Archie—were best friends from that day forward; however, it was she and Jughead that became inseparable through the years. From the outside, they could not have been more different: She, a perky, petite, social blonde, with her hands in almost every club at school; and he, a dark and brooding outsider, more comfortable on the outskirts of the crowd than a part of it. And yet, despite any differences between them, their similarities outweighed them all. Their shared interests in classic literature, obscure indie bands, and dark sarcastic humor; and the ability to make the other smile, even when things were falling apart around them. They knew the other's secrets, the parts of themselves that no one else knew or saw. They understood each other in a way that no one else could. He had been a constant in her life. The person she could depend on more than anyone else, even Archie. That is, up until he moved away from Riverdale and never looked back.

And yet, here he was, standing in front of her. It had been mere moments since Jughead had walked through the door, but thousands of memories flashed through Betty's mind as she stood facing him. He had been there for so many pivotal moments in her life. Practically every memory from Betty's childhood included Jughead. It was his house that she ran to when the pressure from her mom would get to be too much, and he would be at hers when his dad fell off the wagon. It was his shoulder that she cried on, and it was he who defended her, when the other kids picked on her at school; and she did the same for him when the other kids were cruel. She thought about all of the "firsts" that they'd experienced together: their first day of school, their first broken bones (bike accident—his arm, her wrist), their first concert, their first fight…and their first kiss.

* * *

 _"Hey Betts." Jughead offered Betty a sly smile, sliding into the booth next to Betty. "Hey Juggie," she returned his smile. "I got you strawberry today." It was their typical after-school routine, meeting at Pop's for milkshakes. Archie usually met up with them but it was just the two of them that day, as Archie had just joined their middle school's football team. She and Jughead had spent even more time together now that Archie was spending so much time at practice. Lately, Betty had noticed a shift in her relationship with Jughead, but she couldn't figure out exactly what it was, or what it meant. She would catch him staring at her sometimes, when he thought she wasn't looking, and when she caught his eyes, this really adorable blush would color his cheeks as he'd try to avoid her eyes. He would hold her gaze just a second too long; and when walking side by side, her arm would graze his accidentally, and his whole body would momentarily freeze, but he never shifted further away from her._

 _She had also noticed a change in how she saw, and reacted to him. She caught herself looking for excuses to be close to him, not that she had to look far—it seemed that he was doing the same thing with her. But something had changed between them. For instance, they had hugged each other hundreds of times over the years, but lately, their hugs lasted just a little bit longer than a friend-hug would entail, and Betty's arms had recently found their way around his neck, rather than his shoulders. She told herself that it was because he had grown several inches in the last few months, but if she was honest with herself, putting her arms around his neck gave her better access to the smell of soap on his skin and the feel of his muscles against her cheek. The other day she caught herself zoning out while staring at his mouth, her imagination running wild with all that that mouth was capable of…which she realized she was doing right in that moment as Jughead cocked his head to the side, repeating her name for the third time, his brows knitted in concern. "Betty? Betty, are you okay?"_

 _"Huh?" she shook her head slightly. "Yeah, yeah I'm good. Sorry. What were you saying?" she smiled apologetically. Jughead returned her smile. "I was discussing the merits of only the most important filmmaker of our time…" he began. "Quentin Tarantino," Betty finished his sentence. As if on cue, they simultaneously turned their heads toward each other, and burst into laughter. "It's like we've had this conversation before," Betty joked sarcastically. Jughead nudged her gently with his shoulder, "Or perhaps I've just taught you well," Jughead smirked._

 _He put his arm on the seat back behind her, effectively putting his arm around her, which did not go unnoticed by Betty. She shifted her weight in the booth so that her thigh was (hopefully naturally!) lightly resting against his own, enjoying the warmth it created between them. She pretended not to notice when Jughead glanced down at their touching thighs, and he pretended not to notice that she had seen him do it. They sat this way for the next hour, talking and laughing, both painfully aware that they were sitting close enough to generate heat between their bodies, but neither willing to draw attention to it, for fear that it would force them to move away from each other. Betty repeatedly snuck glances at him, and found that every time she did, he was already looking at her, and would hold her gaze until she smiled and looked away._

 _By the time they'd finished their milkshakes and paid the bill, it was already dark outside. Underneath the clear sky full of stars, they began walking towards Betty's house, his arm brushing hers every few steps. Betty thought that he might be doing it on purpose, so she snuck a look at him through her lashes, and caught him looking back at her, a shy smile on his face. She smiled back at him, but neither said anything. They continued walking in silence, both sensing the heaviness of something she couldn't put her finger on; something that had enveloped them in a new sensation. In all the years she'd known Jughead, she had never felt nervous around him. And yet, she felt undeniably nervous in that moment. Her palms were damp, and she noticed that her heart was beating double time. She purposefully willed herself to not look at him._

 _Nearing her house, Jughead must have sensed this strange new energy between them because he suddenly stopped her, reaching out to gently grab her wrist. "Betty…" he began, letting out a deep sigh before turning to face her, and looking into her eyes. "Um, do you…" he cleared his throat, "I have to, uh, tell you…" he swallowed, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand, the telltale sign that Jughead was nervous. "Juggie, what is it?" she prompted, unsure of what he was about to say. He looked away from her briefly, and then turned back to her resolutely. He took a step towards her, and Betty's breath caught in her chest. She felt her stomach flip-flopping; she could hear her pulse in her ears. Everything slowed down around them as their eyes met, both aware that something had shifted exponentially between them. Both breathing heavily, unsure of the next move, Jughead glanced down at her lips, and she did the same to his. Betty quickly licked her lips in anticipation, as Jughead took another step closer to her. He hesitantly put his hands on her waist, his eyes darting back and forth between her eyes and her lips, making sure that she was okay with his touch. She smiled up at him in confirmation. Then, after what seemed like hours, Jughead closed the distance between them, brought his hands to the side of her face, and his lips lightly grazed her own. Her eyes fluttered shut at his touch, their mouths smiling against the other. Jughead pulled away to gauge her reaction, and sensing his uncertainty, Betty took the initiative this time, bringing her lips back to his. Jughead returned her kiss, moving his lips with hers as they explored this new dimension of their relationship. Betty was thoroughly enjoying the moment, but it didn't last long, as Jughead suddenly stopped, and took a small step back. He let out a deep, but content, sigh, and they both smiled sheepishly at one another. "Wow Juggie," Betty laughed breathlessly. He returned her smile, but Betty swore that she saw a flash of sadness pass over his face. "Juggie?"_

 _He shook his head slightly, as if remembering where he was. Once again, he reached up and cradled her cheek in his hand. They stood that way for what felt like an eternity, when Jughead finally spoke. "Goodbye Betty," he said quietly. And then just as quickly, he turned away from her, walking in the direction of his trailer. Confused by his brevity, she called his name as he walked away, "Jughead, wait!" But he continued walking away, not looking back._

* * *

In the end, he was also the source of her first heartbreak. She didn't see him again for four years. Until this moment.

As if he'd read her mind, Jughead turned at that moment, staring directly at her. His eyes locked onto hers, his eyebrows drawn up in surprise...His eyes then slowly narrowed, his mouth set in a straight line. Choosing to ignore his less than warm welcome, Betty smiled at him hopefully, and made a move in his direction. But instead of smiling back at her, a familiar flash of sadness crossed over his face, he turned his eyes to the ground and walked away in the opposite direction.

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 **Thanks for reading, and I'd love to hear what you think! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you to all of you who followed, favorited and reviewed the first chapter! I really appreciate hearing your thoughts :) This chapter will be from Jughead's perspective, and for those of you who really want to know where and why he disappeared, it will be in the next chapter (I think), but I wanted to get more of Juggie's internal dialogue to set up the story. I hope you like it!**

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Chapter 2:

Jughead's breath caught in his throat at the sight of those blue eyes, locked onto his. He felt like a deer in headlights, unsure of whether to stay, or make a run for it. He hadn't expected to see her so soon. He hadn't planned on her face being the first thing he saw when he walked through the doors of the school. He also didn't expect to see that beautiful smile on her face. What he _did_ expect from Betty was anger, or maybe even hatred. And who could blame her? The way that he left, right after he'd kissed her; she must hate him. He hated himself for that. In that moment, Jughead had lost his best friend, but she was more than that. More than that to him. And he'd just walked away.

And yet, at this unexpected reunion, the expression that he saw on her face wasn't a look of hate. In fact, she looked almost hopeful. Jughead's heart soared briefly. She hadn't changed, not really. She still wore her blonde hair in a high ponytail, with subtle makeup that brought out her blue eyes, and her sweet cardigans and jeans that gave her that classic, but approachable beauty. _She's still the most beautiful girl I've ever seen_ , he thought to himself. That thought was quickly replaced with the realization that he wasn't ready to face her, or the conversation that he owed her; not yet anyway. Too much had happened. He was hit by a sudden sadness that he hadn't anticipated. He had to get out of there. He turned in the opposite direction of Betty, once again walking way from the girl he loved.

* * *

 _Jughead was kissing Betty. He was kissing Betty Cooper. And she was kissing him back. He had been thinking about this moment for a long time, and he couldn't believe that it was actually happening now. A sudden stab of guilt hit him like a punch in the gut. Why did he kiss her now, when he knew that he was leaving the next morning? When he knew that he couldn't explain why or where he was going. This was going to crush her. Hell, it was going to crush him too. But he knew how to handle disappointments—he'd been doing it his whole life. He couldn't handle hurting her. And yet, he knew that he was going to._

 _He stopped kissing her suddenly, and took a small step back. It was an incredible moment, his lips on hers, breathing in the same air and feeling her body against his. It was by far the best few minutes of his life, but it was ending as quickly as it began. "Wow Juggie," Betty laughed breathlessly. He returned her smile, but didn't say anything. Sensing something was wrong, Betty asked tentatively, "Juggie?"_

 _He needed to get away from there, make it easier somehow. Easier for whom, he wasn't sure. He looked at her beautiful, vulnerable face, memorizing her features and thinking about all of the things he wanted, but couldn't, say to her. He reached out to cradle her cheek in his hand, one last time, and said simply, but with more meaning than she could know at the time, "Goodbye Betty." He turned away from her and quickly walked away, before she could stop him. "Jughead, wait!" she called after him. But he didn't turn around. He couldn't. He continued walking, wiping away at the tear sliding slowly down his cheek._

* * *

"Jug?!" a familiar voice pulled him back to the present. He saw his old friend Archie Andrews jogging down the hall towards him, a huge smile on his face. Things had changed for the red headed boy he grew up with. Wearing a letterman's jacket, he had grown several inches and bulked up, no doubt from twice-daily football practices. Reaching him, Archie pulled him into an unexpected hug, exclaiming, "Jughead! Where ya been man?"

Pulling back, Jughead smiled, "Hey Arch, it's been awhile. How've you been?"

"Good, things are good. I'm into music now so that's cool…" he trailed off, awkwardly.

Before Jughead could respond, Archie interjected, "Hey, has Betty seen you yet? She's gonna flip when she sees you!"

Jughead's stomach dropped. "Uh yeah, she saw me, but we haven't talked yet."

Archie nodded at someone down the hall, "Yeah, you know, you just disappeared, we thought you were dead!" he joked. "But seriously man, where have you been?"

Jughead tried to laugh it off, "Well, uh, I was with my mom actually. I wanted to tell you guys, but…uh…the circumstances were not…ideal," he stammered. He wanted to say more, to explain why he'd left the way he did, but he felt like he owed that to Betty first. It's not that he didn't see Archie as his friend, and he wasn't intentionally trying to be evasive; but the situation was complicated, and the school hallway wasn't the place for this conversation.

"Okay, be more vague Jug," Archie said sarcastically.

Jughead smirked. "I'm sorry…look, it's really complicated. I will explain everything, I promise. I just…uh…I gotta get to class. Catch up with you later?" Jughead replied, hurrying down the hall before Archie could respond.

 _Just walk way Jughead, like you always do_ , he thought to himself. He had become quite skilled at avoidance. He'd had to, out of survival, but now that he was back home, or whatever home meant to him now, he realized that he wanted to stop avoiding. He wanted to be close to someone again. He wanted to let someone get close to him. But after everything he'd been through, he wondered if he ever would.

* * *

The one bright spot in the day was the journalism elective that he was able to finagle his way into. The class was technically full, so he had to practically beg the principal to let him in. Jughead wondered if he'd felt sorry for him, which pissed Jughead off at first; but if that sympathy got him a chance to write for the Blue and Gold newspaper, then so be it. Writing was his comfort, where he felt most himself. Writing was his escape. His way of getting through the next hellish year of high school, while attempting to avoid his…feelings. Walking into the classroom, he let out a frustrated sigh, because as much as he tried to ignore that fact, he couldn't deny that he still had feelings for Betty. He always had. No amount of time or miles between them had changed that fact. He'd been in love with Betty for as long as he could remember. But it didn't matter anymore. It was too complicated now. He had been gone too long. And she had a chance to be somebody. He wasn't going to screw that up for her. Not again.

He sat down at the lone empty chair, a half dozen pairs of eyes on him. "So, what are we waiting for?" he asked one of the girls sitting near him.

"We always meet with the editor on Mondays to get our weekly assignments. She should be here any minute" she replied.

"Who's the edit…" Jughead didn't need to finish that sentence because at that very moment the door of the Blue and Gold opened to reveal the very person they were discussing. Jughead inhaled a sharp breath in recognition, just as the she widened her eyes in surprise at finding him in front of her.

"Oh, there she is. That's Betty Cooper, our editor. She's the best," the girl explained with a smile; but Jughead didn't really hear her. He was too busy trying to get his heartbeat under control, and wiping his suddenly sweaty palms on his black jeans.

 _After all this time, she still has this effect on me. Get it together Jughead!_ Looking down at his lap, Jughead shakily exhaled a breath that he hadn't realized he'd been holding, and dared to look up at Betty. She had already looked away, moving to the head of the table, opposite of where he was sitting.

Avoiding his eyes, Betty called the meeting to order. "Okay guys, as you've probably noticed, we have a new member joining us. Please welcome Jughead Jones to the Blue and Gold," she stated, with a smile that didn't quite meet her eyes.

She briefly caught his eye and Jughead froze. He wondered if everyone in the room could hear his heart beating, or sense the tension between them. It was a safe bet that they did because several people looked from Betty to Jughead, and then back to Betty, trying to figure out what they were seeing.

Betty looked away then, clapping her hands together to close the meeting, "Okay, let's get started." Just like that, the moment was over.

* * *

He felt acutely aware of her presence for the remainder of the hour, but they didn't speak to each other. What Jughead wanted to do was go up to her and pull her into a hug, and pretend that everything was fine. It just felt so weird between them, and he wasn't helping the situation, stalking around and trying to avoid eye contact. He didn't know how to be around her anymore.

As the bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, he reached into his backpack to put his things away, when his fingers brushed against the cool, hard surface of a small rock. He paused, remembering why it was there…

* * *

 _They were 9 years old, playing by the shore of Sweetwater River. Jughead was teaching Betty how to skip rocks on the surface of the water. Betty let out a frustrated sigh. "Ugh, I can't do it Juggie! I give up!" and flopped down on the rocky shore, exasperated._

 _Jughead came over to her and sat down next to her. He put his arm around her. "Don't give up Betts, you almost had it. Maybe you just need to find the right rock. Wanna keep looking?" he offered, smiling at her hopefully. He stood up and offered her his hand. She took it, allowing him to help her up. They began their search, combing the shore for the perfect stone. Betty took the task very seriously, crouching down low and inspecting practically every rock she saw._

 _Finally, she shouted, "Juggie, I found it!" and ran over to where he was standing. "Look, isn't it perfect?" she asked excitedly, opening up her hand to show him a shiny gray heart-shaped rock._

 _He ran his finger along its surface, replying, "Yeah that should work," and moved to stand next to her. "Okay, so you have to pull your arm back and just toss it…"_

 _"What?" she interrupted him. "No! Jug, I can't throw this one. It's too pretty. I want to keep this one for something special!"_

 _Jughead smiled at his friend. Betty looked at him expectedly, as if waiting for him to catch on, cocking her head to the side. "We're done skipping rocks now aren't we," Jughead stated the question, knowing her well enough now that she didn't need to say anything. Betty smiled in response and starting skipping away, Jughead close behind._

 _The next day, Jughead walked into class and found the rock on his desk. In her 3_ _rd_ _grade handwriting, on one side of the stone, Betty had written "To Jughead" and on the other she'd written "Love Betty."_

* * *

He had been holding on to that stone for the past eight years. It might seem inconsequential to some; it was a rock after all. But that rock represented Betty and all of the feelings and memories that came with her. Part of him worried that she wouldn't remember, but it was worth the risk. He needed her to know that he never stopped thinking about her. But he wasn't ready to explain everything yet. Truthfully, he was just afraid to. He stood up, the stone in hand, and walked toward where she was working.

* * *

Betty was still immersed in her article, and hadn't noticed that Jughead left the room. She also hadn't noticed that on his way out, he'd placed the stone on her desk. Twenty minutes later, she was clicking the save button on her document and turned to grab her backpack, when she noticed the stone. Initially confused, she drew closer to it, and her heart skipped a beat in recognition. She reached out to pick it up, rolling it around in her hand. She ran her finger over the faded writing, a smile slowly spreading across her face.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you to everyone that reviewed, followed, and favorited after the last chapter! I love hearing your thoughts :) I had a huuuge chapter written for this one that included the conversation between Jughead and Betty but it was way too long! So this chapter sets up that event :) Hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

Betty stepped out into the hall, a huge smile plastered on her face. She couldn't help it—the smile, or the fluttering feeling in her stomach. Feeling the slight weight of the small heart-shaped rock in her hand, she couldn't quite believe it. _Jughead kept it all this time?_ She'd just assumed that he had forgotten about their friendship, that kiss…her. But it appears that she was wrong. _What did this mean? He left it there for her to find right? And yet he seemed, perhaps, angry, when he saw her this morning…_

Betty was so absorbed in her thoughts, with the rock held tightly in her hand, that she walked straight into something solid.

"B! What the hell?" Veronica exclaimed. "I said your name, like fifty times and then you walked right into me!" She paused, a look of concern in her eyes, "What's with you girl?"

Literally knocked out of her thoughts, Betty blushed. "Sorry V, I didn't hear you…I…I just have a lot on my mind I guess."

Veronica inspected her friend closely, unsure if she should pry further. She decided that, yes, she should. "Does this have anything to do with the sudden return of a certain raven-haired mystery boy?" she asked slyly.

Betty jerked her head up to Veronica's in surprise. Betty's blush deepened, and she laughed in defeat. She had become quite skilled at hiding her emotions from people, keeping up her carefully cultivated façade of the perfectly put together, small town, girl next door. But Veronica could see through that. She was one of the few people in Betty's life that could read Betty like a book. Without saying anything, Veronica looked at her knowingly, her perfectly shaped eyebrows raised as if to say, "I know things."

Betty sighed. "Yeah…and I don't really know how to feel about it. I mean, I haven't seen him in so long, and then he appears out of nowhere! And of course, I'm so happy to see him." A look of hurt flashes across Betty's face. "But he just looked right past me and walked away like I was a stranger…"

"What?!" Veronica interjected. "Who does he think he is, acting like my girl doesn't exist? Oh, I'll go take care of this right now," Veronica hands Betty her purse, gearing up for a fight of vicious rhetoric.

Betty grabbed her arm, pulling her back. "Calm down V, it's fine" she said, laughing at her friend's crazy loyalty.

Veronica scoffed. "Fine?" she asked incredulously. "I might be totally off, but this is the same Jughead that you spent every waking moment with as a kid?" Betty nodded slowly. Veronica continued, "I thought you two were best friends, and then he shows up here, and has the audacity to give _you_ the cold shoulder, acting like you did something to him. Uh-uh. No. I won't accept that."

Betty smiled. "It _was_ weird," she agreed, looking down. "There is something else…" Betty paused, weighing how much she wanted to share. "He showed up in journalism class. There was this moment when we first saw each other…we both froze, and just stared at each other like idiots. And dammit if I didn't feel butterflies," Betty huffed dramatically.

Veronica gasped excitedly, "Oh my goodness, it's like a soap opera, I love it!"

"He's so infuriatingly confusing! For a split second, it was like it was before. I felt those old feelings come up again. But all I felt from him was indifference you know?"

"Boys," Veronica replied, shaking her head, and rolling her eyes.

She smiled. "There's more though. As I was packing up my things, I found a rock on my desk."

"A rock? Okay, I don't get it," Veronica stated, her nose scrunched up in disgust. Betty gave her a playfully exasperated look. "Sorry, go on," Veronica conceded.

"It was a rock that I gave to him when we were nine. A heart shaped rock." She opened up her hand to show Veronica. "I guess I didn't know why at the time, but I wanted him to have it," Betty explained.

Veronica's face softened. "Aww, that's adorable." Looking at the handwriting, she commented, "Love, Betty…so sweet!" with a broad smile on her face. "So wait, are you saying that Jughead has been holding onto this since you were nine?"

Betty nodded, blushing. "I guess so…yeah." She bit her lip, unsure.

"Do you think that means that he…" Veronica suggested hesitantly.

Betty interrupted, "I don't know what it means. I don't know what to think. Holding that rock, seeing him right in front of me; everything, all the feelings just came flooding back." She shook her head, clearing her mind. "I don't want to assume anything. I assumed that we were on the same page before. Look how that ended up." She looked dejected.

Veronica took in Betty's pained expression. "C'mon," linking her arm with Betty's and offering a bright smile. "I'll buy you a milkshake."

* * *

Jughead took in the red dim of the neon sign flooding the diner. He hadn't been to Pop's in four years, the smell of French fries and burgers overwhelming his senses. Jughead sighed, "I have seriously missed this place," he said, turning to Archie and smiling. Archie had caught up with him after school, persuading him to grab some food at Pop's and catch up. Not that he needed much persuasion. He'd do pretty much anything for Pop's cheeseburgers.

Archie laughed, nodding toward the back. "Hey, there's a booth over there."

They got to the empty booth, and slid in, sitting opposite each other. "It's so great that you're here man. It hasn't been the same without you."

Jughead laughed, "Oh I think you've done just fine Arch. You're a varsity football player. Seems like you pretty much own this town."

Archie scoffed, just as the waitress came up to their table. She focused solely on Archie, smiling and winking as she took both of their orders.

"Aaaand, case in point," Jughead said sarcastically, after she walked away.

Archie laughed, blushing. "Eh, it's not like that. I just come here a lot."

"Oh, okay. Sure, Archie," Jughead laughed.

They sat in silence for a few moments, unsure of how to bridge the distance of the last four years. Jughead avoided Archie's eyes, scanning the diner for people that he recognized. Archie eventually broke the silence. "So…are you gonna tell me where you've been Jug?"

Jughead sighed, focusing his attention back on Archie. "I…" he trailed off, because right at that moment, Betty walked through the door of the diner. She hadn't seen him yet, so he took the moment to really look at her. She was dressed in the same clothing she'd worn at school, but she'd taken her hair out of the ponytail and it now rested upon her shoulders in soft waves. _Wow._

Archie turned in the direction of Jughead's distraction. "Hey Betty, Veronica! Over here!" he called out, waving them over to the booth.

Jughead had a momentary panic attack, his eyes growing wide and feeling the sudden and intense urge to escape. _Did he have time to hide?_ _No, she'd seen him._ Betty and Veronica walked toward the booth, Betty avoiding Jughead's eyes just as much as he was attempting to avoid hers. Standing at the table, Veronica turned to Betty silently, waiting for her to choose which booth, and consequently which boy, she was going to sit by. Jughead looked anywhere but at Betty. Sensing her discomfort, Veronica took the decision into her own hands, sliding in next to Archie; which left Betty with no choice but to slide in next to Jughead.

Jughead snuck a peek at her as she got settled into the seat. "Hey," he said simply.

"Hi Jug," she replied quietly, looking briefly at his face, and then down at her hands.

"Veronica Lodge," she stated, holding out her hand to Jughead. "And you must be the infamous Jughead Jones?"

He took her hand, nodding. "The very one. Nice to meet you Veronica."

Silence resumed at the booth. After several moments of observing Betty and Jughead's attempts at not looking at each other, Veronica broke the silence. "Well this is awkward," Veronica stated sarcastically.

Archie laughed out loud. "Seriously though! What is up with you two? I thought you'd be excited to see each other," he said, incredulously.

Betty and Jughead finally looked at each other directly, offering each other small, apologetic smiles. "They've got a point…this does feel weird," Jughead conceded.

"That one's on you Jug," Betty said with a smirk, referring to his avoidance routine at school.

Archie cleared his throat. "Well, Jug was just about to fill me in on where he was for the last four years…Jughead?" Archie turned to look at him.

Jughead stared back at Archie, his eyes darting back and forth between him and Betty. Betty, along with the others, looked back at him expectantly. Jughead swallowed, weighing his options. _Did he really want to do this with everyone? Including someone he just met? No, he did not._ He turned to Betty, decidedly. "Do you want to get out of here? Go for a walk?" he pleaded silently.

Betty tried to read his expression, before she made up her mind. "Didn't you order food?" Betty asked, just before the waitress came with his and Archie's food.

Jughead turned to the waitress. "Could I get this to go please?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Two chapters at once! This one is shorter than previous chapters but it just felt too long to include this scene with the previous one. This is the big convo, but I'll be expanding on it as the story continues. I hope it lives up to all of your expectations ;)**

* * *

Betty felt a strong sense of déjà vu. This walk from Pop's was a lot like the last walk they shared a few years back. The night that everything changed between them. The last time they'd seen each other. Betty wondered if Jughead was aware of this fact, when he said quietly, "It's like déjà vu, huh?"

She smiled, "It does feel a bit familiar." Betty's arm brushed against his and her heart started racing. She couldn't handle the tension anymore. They'd only walked for a few minutes when Betty suddenly stopped. Jughead took a step forward before realizing that Betty had stopped, and he turned back to her, looking at his feet.

Betty waited for him to meet her eyes. Pulling her hand out of her coat pocket, she showed him her open hand. "You kept it."

Jughead looked at the rock in her hand, and then back up to meet her gaze. "Of course I did," Jughead replied quietly. "It was from you."

Betty's cheeks burned, and her heart was beating wildly. From Jughead's rapid breaths, she imagined that his was as well. "Juggie," she started. She took a deep breath. "I feel like, for some reason, I don't have the right to ask this because you haven't brought it up…but I need to know. What happened that day…after we…" she trailed off, scared to say it aloud.

Jughead let out a deep sigh, removing his crown hat and running his hand through his hair. Incidentally, Betty had rarely seen him without his signature hat. "Betts, I…I owe you an explanation. You more than anyone else. First, about this morning—I panicked, I completely freaked out when your face was the first one I saw. You have to believe me, I was so excited to see you...but then, I guess I wasn't ready…" he paused. "It's just that the last time we saw each other, we…"

"You kissed me Jug," Betty interjected. "We kissed. And then you disappeared." Jughead closed his eyes, knowing the pain he caused her. Betty continued, "And then you show up again, out of the blue. And I don't know how to be around you. You were my best friend Juggie, I…" She looked down at her feet, a tear sliding slowly down her cheek. Jughead took a step toward her and reached out his hand to comfort her, but stopped himself. She looked back up to his face, her face completely vulnerable, showing every emotion. "I've missed you Juggie," she said quietly.

Jughead's heart broke in that moment. Jughead smiled sadly, "Betty I've missed you too. I'm so sorry for what I did to you. How I hurt you. I never wanted to hurt you." He hesitated for just a moment, then reached for her, not stopping himself this time. He pulled her into a hug, enveloping her in his arms. She was stiff in his arms, unsure of how to respond, but slowly she relaxed into the embrace, bringing her arms to wrap around his back. They could feel each other's hearts racing.

"Jug?" she asked hesitantly, speaking into his neck. She pulled back so that she could look at his face. He held her gaze, knowing what she was about to ask. "Where have you been these last four years? What happened to you?" Betty asked hopefully.

He took a deep breath, and took a step back. "Betty, you have to know that I didn't want to leave Riverdale. I didn't want to leave you. But something happened…I had to get away before things got worse." He paused, gathering his thoughts. _This was harder than he thought it was going to be._ "You know that my childhood wasn't great right?" She nodded, encouraging him to continue.

"Well, I never really told you a lot of details. That was purposeful. Partly because you and Archie were a separate part of my life, the part that made me happy and like I mattered to someone. And partly because I wanted to protect you guys from the crazy crap show that is my home life. Anyway, long story short, my dad got involved in some pretty dark stuff; like illegal activity, and he pissed some pretty bad people off."

Betty eyes were wide, trying to understand everything that he was telling her. Jughead noticed her reaction and he backpedaled, clarifying, "My dad isn't a horrible guy Betty, I swear. He's made a lot of mistakes, and he hasn't always been there for me, but he's still my dad you know?"

Betty nodded, "I get it Jug." She gave his forearm a comforting squeeze. "Go on."

Jughead continued, wringing his hat in his hands. "Anyway, so he got caught up in something really bad, and turned these guys in for…well, somebody died because of these other guys. So my dad turned them in. And they found out."

Jughead heard Betty gasp, and he looked at her remorsefully. _She thinks I'm crazy. She's never going to speak to me again._ But then Betty smiled at him, encouraging him to continue. "So, that day, the day that we…kissed, um, somebody tipped my dad off that these guys were coming for him. I got a call from him that he'd packed up my stuff and he was sending me to my mom's in Ohio that night. To protect me. And I couldn't tell you...because I needed to protect you."

"I'm back now because the guys after my dad were just convicted and sentenced to life in prison…" he paused, shaking his head and laughing. Betty had put her hand on his forearm again, and he stared at her hand for a moment. Looking back up at her he continued, "It sounds overly dramatic, like a soap opera, even to me. Sometimes I can't even believe it's real. But this is my crazy, screwed up life. And I didn't want to drag you into it…anymore than I already had. You were, are, too good for that."

"Juggie," she started, waiting for him to look at her. "Thank you. Thank you for trying to protect me. But can I tell you something? I don't need to be protected, from anything about you. I want to know _you_." She reached up and placed her hand on his cheek. "All of you Jug. I always have. Okay?"

Jughead closed his eyes, taking in the feel of her hand on his face. "I hadn't planned on kissing you Betts. I knew that I was leaving, that I might never see you again. And we'd been kind of dancing around our feelings for awhile…I just needed you to know how I felt. I needed to know how you felt about me. So I kissed you." He smiled before continuing, "And then you kissed me back Betty. And it was incredible." Betty returned his smile, blushing furiously. Jughead put both of his hands on her shoulders. "Walking away from you that day was the hardest thing I've ever had to do."

With tears in her eyes, she reached up, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him against her body. His hand cradled the back of her head as he inhaled the smell of her shampoo, and he could feel the warmth of her breath on his neck.

"There's one more thing." He pulled back slightly, but kept his hands on her waist. "Something I've tried my whole life to keep under wraps." Betty's eyebrows drew up in concern.

"Betty, my dad is a Southside Serpent," he paused, gauging her reaction. When she didn't respond, he added, "and so am I."

* * *

A/N: I'd love to hear what you all think!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

A/N: First, I have to thank each and every one of you for your reviews, follows and favorites of this little story! I love hearing from you all. And second, I need to apologize for the month long absence! I didn't mean to leave you all hanging; I had some life events in the past month that have kept me very busy and I haven't had any time to devote to this story. So with that, here's a short chapter to wrap up their conversation from the previous chapter and I will try to get the next chapter up ASAP! Thank you all for your patience and continued support :)

* * *

Betty, who moments before had been wrapped around Jughead in a tight embrace, had now pulled her arms back to her sides, unsure of what she had just heard. Jughead, in an attempt to manage the tension he suddenly felt between them, placed his crown beanie back on his head, and reached down to pick up the bag of Pop's food that he'd set down when they'd stopped.

"Okay…" Betty began to process this new information, pacing back and forth. "So your dad is a Southside Serpent. And you are also a…" Betty stopped pacing abruptly, and swung around to face him. "So wait, like the gang? Like you're in the gang?" Her eyes were wide, as if in shock. Not waiting for his response, she continued, "So you're dad is a Serpent and then it's just passed down, or…"

Jughead could see that she was spiraling, either unsure of what this meant, or unable to accept this information, he wasn't sure which was more accurate. But he knew that she was freaking out. "Okay, Betty I know this is a lot to process," he began, putting the food back down and reaching for her, placing his hands on her shoulders to help ground her again. She accepted his touch, and closed her eyes, taking deep slow breaths.

When she'd met his eyes once again, he attempted to explain without completely scaring her away. _I can't lose her because of this_. Keeping his hands on her shoulders, he began, "It's more ceremonial than anything. My dad had to initiate me in order to protect me, just in case he ended up in prison. So that I would have someone watching out for me when he couldn't. But, yes, technically, I am a Serpent." He paused, gauging her reaction. He didn't want to overwhelm her.

Betty appeared to have calmed down because when she spoke, her tone was steady. "So what does that mean, that you are a Serpent? What does that entail?" she asked hesitantly, as if afraid of the answer. Reaching up her right hand, she covered Jughead's hand that was resting on her shoulder with her own. She continued, a worried expression on her face, "I've heard things…not good things…like drugs. Lots of drugs. And robberies and assaults. My parents have written a lot of articles about the Serpents." She looked boldly into his eyes, "Juggie, are you involved with all of that?"

Jughead sighed. She looked so innocent; he didn't want to corrupt her with stories that he'd grown up with, or the stuff he'd overheard when his dad thought that he'd gone to bed. But he also couldn't lie to her. She'd find out eventually anyway. This was Betty after all. He brought his hands back to his sides, hating to lose contact with her hand, but needing to do something with all of his nervous energy. He picked up the food again ( _am I ever going to eat this?)_ and they continued walking.

Jughead nodded his head. "Some of them do that stuff, but not all of them. Most of them are tough, yes; but they're not bad people. And I'm really not trying to make excuses…but they do what they do to survive." He snuck a peak at Betty, trying to read her expression. She was looking straight ahead, biting her lip and nodding her head slowly. "That doesn't mean that _I_ will though. You know me, I'm not into that shit." His breath caught because she was smiling at him. He took a deep breath. "But in the vein of being totally honest, my dad _was_ caught up in a lot of that. Drugs mostly…actually he kind of orchestrated it all. He's basically the leader of the Serpents. Hence why I had to be initiated….for protection. And they want me to eventually take over for him…"

"What?" Betty stated in shock. Her eyes grew impossibly wide.

Jughead noticed her reaction and stopped walking, turning to face her. "Betty, don't worry." Betty opened her mouth to object, simultaneously shaking her head, but Jughead cut her off, "Yes you are. You're worried about me." He smiled warmly at her. "But you don't need to be. I'm not planning on taking over the Serpents. I'm not even interested in being a Serpent period. At least not when it comes to their…activities. I'm not directly involved with any of that okay?" He waited for her confirmation that she understood. She nodded imperceptibly. He continued, "But they are my family for all intents and purposes. They take care of their own. It's safe for me to be back in Riverdale, with you, because of the Serpents. Because they are looking out for me; and by extension, they're also looking out for you." He looked over at her again, scared that she was going to bolt at any second.

Betty was quiet for some time, hugging herself and rubbing her arms absentmindedly. Jughead started to panic when she didn't say anything for several minutes, and began anxiously tugging on his beanie. They continued to walk in silence, Betty seemingly deep in thought; the only sound coming from the gravel crunching underneath their feet as they walked.

"So." Betty finally broke the silence. Jughead stiffened beside her, unsure of her reaction. "Are you still weird about sharing food?" nodding toward the Pop's bag in his hand. "Because I'm starving." She looked him square in the face, a small smile pulling at the corners of her mouth.

Jughead let out the breath he'd been holding, and laughed aloud, shaking his head incredulously. "Betty Cooper, you are something else. You're really just okay with all of this?"

Betty's demeanor turned serious. "'Okay' may not be the best description. It's a lot to take in." Jughead looked down at his feet, kicking at some gravel with the toe of his boot. "But," Betty continued, "you told me not to worry." She paused, letting it sink in. "And I trust you Jug."

Jughead stared at Betty in wonder, attempting to understand how the enigma that is Betty Cooper, full of trust and understanding, could ever possibly care about him. To want good things for him. To trust him, even after everything that had happened. He didn't deserve her.

Jughead made to say just that, but Betty interjected, "So back to those fries…" she smirked at him. Jughead laughed, passing her the paper bag.

They spent the rest of their walk in content silence, passing the food between them and throwing meaningful glances toward the other, smiling between bites. He hadn't expected it to feel so normal between them so quickly. Yes, they definitely had some hurdles ahead, because his life was never uncomplicated, and trouble seemed to follow him wherever he went. But they'd still fallen into their old rhythm so easily, despite the complications. And there was still something else there. Something that had been building up since before he'd left. He was reminded of that feeling every time she looked at him with those big blue eyes. His stomach flipped when she smiled at him. He was still in love with Betty Cooper. And for the first time in his life, he believed that he might actually have a chance to be happy. With her.

* * *

They reached the sidewalk in front of her house and Betty turned to face him. "Juggie, it's our spot!" she said sarcastically, her head cocked to the side in expectation. Jughead laughed awkwardly, as he recognized that they were standing in the exact spot of their now infamous first kiss. Betty smirked at his reaction, "We've officially come full circle. Maybe we should commemorate this moment in some way?" she added, suggestively.

Jughead smiled, a determined look on his face. He took a step towards her, closing the distance between them. Her heart started racing with anticipation, and she looked directly into his eyes, daring him to kiss her, just as she had four years ago. He leaned his face toward hers, and she closed her eyes, expectantly…and nothing. Annoyed, she opened her eyes as he abruptly pulled back, his eyes turned towards her house. She turned in the direction of his gaze, and saw that her mother was standing on the porch. In her bathrobe.

"Elizabeth Cooper, the evening is over. Get inside. _Now_!" her mother called.

"Fine, mom, I'm coming!" she yelled back, rolling her eyes in embarrassment. "Sorry about that," she said to Jughead.

Jughead laughed quietly, and looked down at his feet. They were still standing close enough to each other to be breathing the same air, and Jughead caught the scent of her shampoo wafting in the evening breeze. He looked back up into her eyes, smiled warmly, and pulled her in for a hug. An embrace filled with meaning, and feelings, and unspoken sentiments, that were nevertheless felt.

"Goodnight Betty," Jughead spoke into her hair.

Betty pulled back to look into his face. "Goodnight Jughead." She stepped out of his hug and walked up the stairs towards her front door. She could feel Jughead watching her, and just as she reached her door, she turned around and said, "And I _will_ see you tomorrow."

Jughead smiled, catching her meaning. "I'm not going anywhere this time," he promised.

* * *

Betty returned his smile, walking through the door and closing it behind her. She leaned her back against the closed door, and sighed, with the biggest smile on her face. Her mom was watching her, ready to pounce with questions, but Betty didn't care in that moment. She hadn't felt this happy in a really long time. Yes, it was undeniably complicated, and the whole Serpent situation would likely cause drama down the road; but right now, in this moment, Betty didn't care about that. Because Jughead Jones was back in her life.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Happy Sunday everybody. Here's a super long chapter to celebrate the long weekend (for some of us!) Thank you again to everyone who has reviewed, followed, and favorited this little story. I hope you enjoy the latest chapter!

* * *

Chapter 6:

"Oh yessss, right there," Veronica moaned loudly. "Can I take you home with me?" she said to the woman currently massaging her calf.

"Wow, V," Betty said with a laugh. "But agreed, this does feel amazing. We should get pedicures way more often," closing her eyes and leaning her head back against the massage chair.

"I'm legit going to hire a personal pedicurist, solely for the massages. Daddy owes me."

Betty looked at Veronica through half opened eyes. "Can't you just get one from Archie?" Betty asked with a smirk.

Veronica rolled her eyes playfully. "Sidestepping that mine field…hiring a professional would mean that you could get regular pedis too." She raised her eyebrows, adding, "unless you'd prefer Archie's skills?"

Betty laughed. "Oh no, way too weird," Betty agreed, shaking her head of that image. "But speaking of Arch…how are things going between you two?" Betty asked hesitantly. Veronica had been uncharacteristically tightlipped about the growing attraction between Archie and herself, and Betty was becoming insanely curious. She knew that they had been out a few times, but both maintained that they were just friends. But Betty wasn't obtuse; there was some serious chemistry there.

"Fine," Veronica stated simply, leaning forward to examine the pedicurist painting her toenails a deep shade of red.

"Fine? V, c'mon. That's all you're going to say?" Betty asked incredulously.

Veronica rolled her eyes. "I don't know…he's gorgeous and sexy, and a _phenomenal_ kisser," Veronica stated, emphasizing her last point. "But, we're just hanging out. No labels. No pressure." Veronica leaned her head back and sighed. "Anyway, wouldn't you rather talk about your boy drama? It's far more interesting…for once," she added with a wink.

"Nice evasion," Betty smirked.

"So…what's up with you two? You seem awfully chummy lately."

Betty sighed. "Ugh, I don't know! It's been almost three weeks since that night, when we almost kissed. And things have been great between us…but he hasn't tried to kiss me again. What's that about? Why hasn't he made a move?" Betty asked exasperatedly.

Betty thought about the last few weeks and all of the time she'd spent with Jughead. They were working together regularly at the Blue and Gold, and had even collaborated on a couple of pieces, which required that they spend hours together at a time. They also fell back into their old routine of afternoon milkshakes at Pop's, but half the time Archie, Veronica, and Kevin were with them. They went to movies, studied together most days, and he was adamant about walking her home; citing safety reasons, but Betty wondered if he simply wanted to lengthen their alone time away from the others. Regardless of his absence, Jugheadwas back to being a fixture in her daily life. It felt like old times, like things were settling back into the way they had been before he'd left. But even better.

However, no matter how much time they spent together, she could tell that he was holding back. She wondered if it had to do with the Serpents, but was hesitant to ask about it. She knew that he was still getting used to the idea of being a Serpent, and didn't want anyone else to know. So talking with Veronica about it was out of the question. And if it wasn't the connection with the Serpents that was holding him back, then the next likely source was her.

But then again, if he didn't have the same feelings for her, then why did he look at her the way that he did? Or the way his eyes scanned every room that he walked into, looking for her, a huge smile spreading across his face when he spotted her. Her stomach would flip every time she saw that radiant smile. He also had a new tendency of touching her, subtly, in some way whenever he was around her. He would put his arm around her when sitting next to her in the booth at Pop's, loop her arm through his when walking together, he would lead her with one hand on her lower back (shivers down her spine every time), and long hugs goodbye, relishing the feeling of their bodies pressed against each other.

"I don't know girl. He clearly has feelings for you, there's no way that he doesn't. I've seen the two of you together. It's like a Nicolas Sparks novel between you two. The longing gazes, the flirty smiles, the not-so-subtle hand holding under the table at Pop's…"

Betty looked at her, surprised. "You noticed that?"

"I'm sorry, were you trying to hide it?" Veronica asked sarcastically. "Because if so, you did a terrible job. You two are constantly touching each other in some way! It's like peak cuteness. Almost sickening actually," she joked.

Betty blushed. "Then why hasn't he kissed me? I feel like we're stuck in this 'will-they-won't-they' limbo, and the longer he waits to move things forward, the more I think that it's me. Maybe he doesn't want to be more than friends? Maybe I've misread the whole situation?"

Veronica rolled her eyes. "You can't seriously doubt that he likes you B. The way that boy looks at you…girl, trust me, it's not you." She paused to take in Betty's defeated expression. "Have you ever considered that maybe he's terrified?"

"Of me?"

"Not of you, but of losing you. A lot of time has passed, B. Maybe he's afraid, like you, that your feelings don't match his. That fear can be paralyzing."

"I'm scared too. But I don't know how I could be more obvious about my feelings! I mean, we almost kissed again that night; so clearly I was into him. Why would he question that now?"

"The thing is, that fear is going to hold both of you back and keep you in this limbo, until one of you takes the leap. You say that you've made it clear that you want more, but have you actually said the words to him?"

"I mean, I haven't spelled it out for him. I haven't said, I want your mouth on my mouth," Betty said, sarcastically.

"Maybe you should," Veronica replied with a laugh.

"I am _not_ saying that!" Betty laughed.

"Okay, not those exact words. But if Jughead isn't going to step it up, then maybe you need to take matters into your own hands."

* * *

Jughead was sitting on the edge of the bed, with Archie in the chair next to him, playing video games in Archie's room. Jughead hadn't spent a lot of time with Archie since he'd been back—Archie had football and music, Jugheadhad journalism, and spent most of his time with Betty—but he was trying to rebuild his friendship with Archie. They'd both changed a lot in the years that he was gone, but they had history, and Jughead wanted to hold onto that. After explaining where he'd been, leaving out the fact that he was now a Serpent, Jughead had enjoyed getting to know his old friend again.

"So," Jughead hedged in between levels, "Veronica. What's going on there?"

Archie laughed. "Subtle, Jug…eh, things are cool. She's a really cool girl. Smart, funny, beautiful, she's great actually. I don't know though, I don't think she's really into it."

"Why do you say that? From what I can tell she seems pretty into you."

"I don't know man. She says she doesn't want the label or something. We're just having fun right now…I'm okay with that." Archie paused the game, and turned to Jughead. "Speaking of confusing relationships, what the hell are you waiting for?"

"Me? What are you talking about?" Jughead asked.

"What am I talking about," Archie mocked. "Betty, obviously." Jughead squirmed on the edge of the bed. Archie continued, "You clearly want to be with her. So again, what are you waiting for?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Archie rolled his eyes and laughed. Jughead continued, "I'm not waiting for anything. I'm just…taking it slow."

"Uh huh. Why?"

"What do you mean, _why_? Why rush things?" Jughead explained, desperately.

"Jughead, c'mon. You've had a decade leading up to this, it's impossible for you to rush this relationship. That's not the reason, and you know it."

Jughead sighed, and stood up, starting to pace around the room. "Fine," Jughead relented. "I don't want to mess it up okay? It feels like things between us are back to the way they were, before I left. Better, even. But then I start to panic; what if she doesn't want to be more than friends? What if I tell her how I feel, and then I screw it all up again. I don't want to lose her Arch. She's the only person in my life that keeps me sane."

Archie mocked feeling offended, "well not the _only person_ …"

Jughead laughed. "Sorry, you know what I mean. I know you've got my back too Arch. I've just never had this before. My life has been royally screwed up. People that are supposed to care, don't. They leave. But she never did. Even when I left her." Jughead paused, looking down at his feet. After a moment, he looked at Archie, desperation in his expression and tone. "I can't lose her."

Archie nodded knowingly. "I don't think you will. I think you just need to go for it man. I know Betty, and I see how she looks at you. And how you look at her. I think you're both on the same page, but both too scared to make the move. One of you has to jump…and I think it should be you." Archie suddenly paused, formulating an idea in his mind, and smiling. "And get ready, 'cause it's going to be tonight."

* * *

Veronica had a wicked look in her eye. "So, with a name like Jughead, I just don't imagine a lot of skill in the kissing department. Accurate?" Veronica asked, raising a brow.

Betty thought for a moment. "Well I'm judging based on four years ago…but that kiss was toe-curling-fireworks-exploding good. Hence why I'd really like another one," Betty added with a smile.

Before Veronica could respond, Betty's phone started vibrating on the table next to her. She picked it up and her heart skipped a beat when she saw Jughead's name flash across the screen.

Veronica watched Betty's face light up with a huge smile. "Ah, Forsythe. Impeccable timing lover boy!" she said in a sing-song voice.

"Stop," Betty warned, laughing. She took a deep breath before answering the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey Betts, it's Jughead."

Betty laughed, "Yeah, hi Jug."

"Hi." Betty could hear him smiling through the phone. He continued, "Uh, what are you up to?"

"I'm getting pedicures with Veronica, and then I think we might stop by Pop's. You?"

"Not much. I was just thinking about you…I mean, thinking about what you were doing later today. Um…"

Betty smiled at his awkwardness. It was so endearing. "Did you want to hang out later?" Betty asked hopefully. She caught a glace at Veronica with a proud smile on her face.

Jughead laughed awkwardly. "Yeah…yes. Um, Archie is going to a party or something tonight, which is my actual nightmare…anyway, I figured you might be going already, but I was wondering if you'd want to meet up before. And go together?"

Betty bit her lip, a huge smile spreading across her face. "Well, I didn't know there was a party…but yes, of course. I'd love to go with you."

* * *

Betty opened her front door to find Jughead, wearing a leather jacket, dark jeans, and his signature crown beanie pulled down low over his wavy dark hair. Betty nodded approvingly, enjoying the look on him, then suddenly realized something. Gesturing towards his jacket, she asked hesitantly, "is that a Serpent jacket?"

"What? Oh, no, it's one of my dad's old jackets. I wasn't sure…"

"You look really good," Betty interjected with a flirtatious smile.

"So do you. You're beautiful," gazing approvingly at her outfit. Betty wore her blonde hair down around her shoulders, and chose a simple t-shirt dress and denim jacket.

Betty blushed. "Thanks Juggie. Should we head out?"

"You know, we could bail on this party, and do _anything_ else tonight. Like anything," Jughead pleaded.

Betty laughed, "It could be fun…but we don't have to go if you really don't want to."

Jughead contemplated for a moment, then remembered that Archie orchestrated this whole night for him and Betty. "We should go…enter the belly of the beast," he added with a smirk.

* * *

The party was in full swing by the time they arrived; in fact, they could hear it a block away as they walked up to the house. The door was ajar, and Jughead moved to push the door open, when Betty grabbed his other hand in hers. He looked down at their hands clasped together, and turned to look at Betty. She smiled at him, and he squeezed their hands tighter together in response.

They walked through the house, scanning for familiar faces. Betty waved at most of the people in the party—being in so many school clubs, she pretty much knew everyone. After a few minutes, Jughead spotted Archie with Veronica, in the kitchen. He moved towards them, Betty close behind, when he felt Betty tug his hand back. He looked back at her, wondering why she stopped them, when he noticed the direction in which she was nodding. In the kitchen, he saw that Archie and Veronica were now occupied, her arms wrapped around his neck, their lips fastened tightly together. Jughead smirked, and looked back at Betty, who was smiling happily, and because the music was so loud, she shook her head to communicate that they should leave them alone.

They continued through the house, finding their way to the back porch that looked out over a small lake. There were about a dozen people milling around, and the moon was out, its light reflecting on the water. Hands still linked together, Betty took a deep breath and attempted to calm down her racing heart. "I like it out here. It's beautiful…and quieter."

"I'll go get us something to drink?" Jughead offered. Betty nodded in return, her eyes shining in the moonlight. Jughead squeezed her hand one last time and walked back into the house.

Betty found a spot on the grass, and sat down. After a few minutes, Jughead returned, and sat down next to her, close enough for their legs to touch. He handed her a drink, and set down a plate of food that he'd found. "The only good thing about parties…the food," Jughead said with a wink.

Betty laughed, picking up a chip and tossing it at him, expecting him to catch it in his mouth. He missed, and it popped him in the eye. "Oh Jug, I'm so sorry! Did it hit your eye? Let me see!" Betty exclaimed, trying not to laugh.

Jughead, covering his face, turned away from Betty. Betty grew nervous, afraid that he was upset with her. Jugheadturned back to her slowly, uncovering his face and showing a huge smile. "Okay, now you're gonna get it!" He launched at her, tackling her so that her back was on the grass, and began poking her gently in her sides, where he knew she was ticklish. They were both laughing hysterically, with Jughead leaning over Betty, their limbs tangled up together on the grass.

"Stop, oh my gosh, Jug!" Betty exclaimed, laughing loudly. He stopped, but remained poised above her, his hands on the grass near her head, his knees straddling her body. He looked down at her, both of them attempting to slow down their heart rate and breathing.

"Get a room!" they heard someone yell. Jughead looked up and found Archie and Veronica, now outside on the porch, trying hard to stifle their laughs. Jughead blushed, and smiled down at Betty, who was returning his smile. He shifted his body so that she could sit up, and settled in next to her once again.

Betty blushed, and Jughead rubbed the back of his neck the way that he did when he was nervous. Looking over at him, she said, "So…that was fun."

Jughead smiled, his eyes crinkling, and nodded, "Yeah. You're still ticklish."

Betty laughed, then grew quiet. She heard Veronica's voice in her head: _Now or never, B_. She took a deep breath. "Jug?"

"Yeah?" Jughead turned to her, wrapping his arm around her waist.

Betty warmed at his touch. "Can we talk about…us?"

Jughead stifled a laugh, prompting Betty to look at his face. "Sorry, it's just funny…I was going to say the same thing. I like this direct side of you."

Betty snuggled up closer to him, enjoying the warmth from his body, and more importantly, enjoying the intimacy of the moment. "I can be very direct when I'm motivated enough."

Jughead continued, pulling her closer. "Look, I've been dragging my feet, and I'm sorry for that. I've wanted this," gesturing to their bodies pressed together, "for so long Betty, you have no idea."

"I might have an idea," Betty responded with a small smile.

"Yeah, I guess you do." Jughead reached across her body to tuck a stray hair behind her ear with his free hand. "My feelings for you, leading up to our first kiss…they never went away. When I was in Ohio, I never stopped thinking about you. I tried to reach out, you know. I wrote emails, and typed out long texts...I even hand wrote a letter. But I didn't know how to explain everything without actually explaining _everything_. I felt like I'd hurt you enough by leaving. I didn't want to hurt you again by offering you a half-assed apology."

Betty, still snuggled up close to his side, turned her head to look up at his face, giving him the courage to continue.

"Honestly Betts, I also thought you deserved better. Better than what I could give you. I thought that if I reached out to keep that connection with you, it wouldn't be fair to you because it might hold you back from living the life that you deserved. I couldn't do that to you then. I still can't."

Betty shifted, prompting Jughead to look at her face. Her eyes were brimming with tears. "Juggie," she said quietly, reaching up to touch his cheek.

Jughead smiled sadly. "Even at 13 you were the most driven, ambitious, kind, caring, and supportive person that I had ever know. I knew even then that you were destined for great things. And I also knew, even then, that I would hold you back. You know it and I know it—I'm not enough for you."

Betty abruptly pulled away from Jughead, a shocked expression on her face."Juggie, no, you don't hold me back! If anything, I'm better when I'm with you, because of you!"

Jughead looked away, unwilling to accept her statement. Betty placed her hand on his chin, gently pulling his face back to look at her. "Jughead Jones, you listen to me, and you listen good." He let out a soft laugh, and she smiled in return. She continued, holding his gaze, "you are absolutely enough. You have not, nor will you ever, hold me back. You encourage me to the best that I can be and yet you also accept me as I am. Everyone else in my life holds me to these ridiculous standards, expecting me to be perfect all the time. But you accept me as I am right now. You see me. And I love you for that Juggie."

Jughead froze at her last statement, his heart beating so hard he thought it would pop right out of his chest. Before he could actually ask the question, Betty knew the answer.

"Yes, Jug, I love you. Of course I love you. Stop believing that you don't deserve me, or that you don't deserve happiness. Yes, some people absolutely suck, and you deserved so much better from your family. And it's scary to let someone in, because you've been hurt by the people that were supposed to love you and take care of you. I can't change that for you, no matter how much I wish I could. You said before that you purposefully didn't tell me about your childhood and family life; but I knew more than I let on. And it didn't change the way I felt about you then, nor does it change my feelings for you now."

Betty heard Jughead take a shaky breath, understanding how hard this was for him. She turned her body to face him, and reached for his face, cradling his cheeks with both hands. "Please, know something. I love _you_ Jughead Jones. Not because of where you came from, or what your future might hold. But because of who you are right now, in this moment. You are enough for _me_."

With tears in his eyes, Jughead looked into Betty's eyes and saw such vulnerability and beauty there. He cradled her cheeks in his hands, just as she did his, and moved to close the distance between them, bringing his lips to hers. Betty moved her hands from his face, one winding around his neck and the other running through his hair, pulling his crown beanie off with the movement. Jughead moved one hand to cradle Betty's head, his other arm around her waist, pulling her as close to him as possible as if sealing their bodies together. This kiss was different from their first. This kiss was not hesitant or brief. This kiss was desperate and passionate. Their lips moved with each other, hands gripping each other's bodies, unable to get enough. This kiss held more meaning than they ever could've imagined. This kiss was hope, it was truth, and it was restorative.

After several minutes, they pulled apart, breathless. "Betty," Jughead started, breathing heavily. "I love you. I always have." Betty smiled and leaned in for another kiss. Just as their lips met, they heard a distant clapping sound, and looked up to see Archie and Veronica, back on the porch, applauding in celebration.

A/N: Thanks for reading. I'd love to hear what you think.

Also, I was having a lot of trouble uploading this chapter and had to reupload and edit it multiple times, with multiple formats so I apologize for any horrible grammar/spacing mistakes! Every time I changed anything it would revert back :(


	7. Chapter 7

Here's another long one, I hope you enjoy it! And thank you again to everyone who has followed, favorited, and reviewed!

* * *

Chapter 7

Jughead pushed the truck door open, stepping into the school parking lot. It had been almost a week since the infamous party. Almost a week since he and Betty had made their relationship official. Almost a week since Betty became his girlfriend. And it was by far the best almost-week of his life.

He adjusted the shoulder strap of his backpack as he walked into the hallway. He scanned the hall and immediately spotted Betty, her back turned to him; and he smiled at the sight of her. To set the record straight, Jughead had always been against public displays of affection. To be honest, he had never felt comfortable with affection in general. Growing up, his family didn't really hug, and his parents never kissed in front of him. So his tolerance for public make out sessions was quite low.

All of that went out the window when Jughead was around Betty. Determined, he walked straight up to her, and pulled her into an embrace, lifting her slightly off the floor. Betty laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck, smiling widely at Jughead. "Hi Juggie," she said, biting her lip. Jughead smiled in return. "Hi Betts." He leaned forward and kissed her, no longer caring that the whole school could potentially be watching. Because he was kissing Betty Cooper. Literally nothing else mattered in that moment.

This whole scene was so out of character for him, not only because of the public setting, but because he had a _girlfriend_. As much as he'd liked Betty for most of his life, he'd also always viewed himself as more of a lone wolf. Always on the outside, looking in. And yet here he was, his arms wrapped around the girl that he loved, and who loved him back. He never thought he'd have that in his lifetime.

"Alright let's keep it PG kids. You _are_ in public," Archie joked. He and Veronica had walked up to them at some point but they'd been a bit busy and hadn't noticed.

Jughead laughed, and loosened his hold on Betty just enough for her to step back onto the floor, but still kept one arm around her waist. Betty blushed, smoothing her sweater and adjusting her ponytail.

"Hey guys…" Betty greeted awkwardly.

"Good morning lovebirds." Veronica nodded in Jughead's direction, seemingly impressed. "That scene was straight from a classic rom-com. I didn't know you had it in you Forsythe," she said with a wink.

Jughead winced at the use of his given name, and laughed uncomfortably. "Thanks? I think." He exchanged glances with Betty, both smiling and blushing uncontrollably. They were still getting used to this whole being-in-a-relationship-thing, but they were enjoying the learning process.

Archie punched him playfully in the arm, simply stating, "Nice," with an appreciative nod.

Jughead removed his arm from around Betty, rubbing his own arm where Archie had made contact. "Um, ouch," Jughead stated pointedly toward Archie, who started laughing hysterically. Jughead shook his head, laughing at his friend. He then felt Betty's hand replace his own, rubbing his arm absentmindedly, and Jughead's whole body warmed at the gesture.

Veronica noticed the moment, but did not comment. She caught Betty's eye and winked, Betty blushing in response. "Things between you two seem to be progressing nicely, yes?" Veronica hedged.

Jughead looked at Betty, who met his gaze. "Yes, absolutely. It's really, really great," Betty replied, smiling up at Jughead. He leaned down and kissed her briefly. "It's really, really great," Jughead agreed, smiling broadly at Betty.

"You two are too cute!" Veronica squealed. "But that's enough, I'm going to steal her away for a minute," she added determinedly. "Let's go girl," she said, hooking her own arm through Betty's, attempting to pull her away.

"I actually wanted to talk to you about something…" Jughead started.

Betty resisted Veronica's pull, moving back towards Jughead.

"Okay. What's up?"

Jughead pulled her gently aside, lowering his voice so that only she would hear. "Would you want to come over for dinner on Friday? With me and my dad?" he asked nervously.

Betty smiled. "I would love to," Betty replied, without hesitation.

Jughead smiled. "Okay. Pick you up at 6?"

"Perfect," Betty replied. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, and then Veronica was once again dragging her away.

"Bye loverboy!" Veronica called over her shoulder. Jughead smiled, watching Betty walk away down the hall.

* * *

"Mom, do we really have to do this now?" Betty asked exasperatedly. She was at her vanity, applying mascara, while her mother, standing behind her, spoke to her reflection in the mirror. She was getting ready to go over to Jughead's house for dinner, and her mom decided that it was the perfect time to question her choices.

"Betty, all I'm asking is, how much do you really know about the Jones family?" Alice Cooper asked, not so innocently. "It's just, I've heard bad things. Hell, I've written about those bad things for the paper!" Alice Cooper exclaimed.

Betty rolled her eyes. "Mom, stop. You don't even know them."

Alice laughed maliciously. "Oh but I do. I grew up…well, I grew up _hearing_ about them. And they've always been a bad bunch Betty. Some things never change." Alice reached out to smooth Betty's hair, and adjust the necklace around her neck.

Betty pulled away from her mother's grasp. "Ugh, mom. Just stop. I love Jughead, I told you that. I don't care what you think about his family. He is _not_ his family." Betty got up from the vanity and walked over to her bed where she'd laid out her dress and cardigan. "Plus, you've never had a problem with Jughead before. He was over here all the time when we were kids. Why are you all of a sudden worried about his pedigree now?" Betty asked emphatically.

"He wasn't dating my youngest daughter before. I didn't have to worry then."

Betty heard a knock on the front door. "Well, you're going to have to get over it mom. Because I love him. And this is happening." Betty paused, pulling on her cardigan. She added more softly, "Please mom, at least try. I really care about him. And I don't want to fight with you."

Alice regarded her daughter, her hands on her hips. After a moment, she let out a deep sigh. "Okay," she conceded, rolling her eyes. "You're right. I will try."

Betty smiled, and moved to hug her mom. "Thank you." She stepped back and turned to grab her purse, heading towards the door. "Bye Mom," she called over her shoulder.

Alice called out as she headed down the stairs, "Tell that boy I want to have him over soon Elizabeth!"

* * *

Betty smiled at a very nervous Jughead, who couldn't stop playing with his beanie and wiping his clammy hands on his pants. They were walking up to the trailer, and Betty reached for his arm, looping hers through his. "Juggie, relax. It's going to be fine," she said assuredly.

Jughead nodded. "Okay. Sorry. I don't know why I'm so nervous."

"You remember that I've met your dad right? Like, I've been to your house many, many times," Betty added, laughing lightly. She squeezed his arm, leaning in close. "Juggie, I know it's different now. But it's also not really that different. Your dad is still your dad. And we're still us."

"Yeah…but you also know…things. Things that you didn't know before," Jughead added, sneaking a glance at her.

They'd reached the door, and Betty smiled. "And yet, I'm still here." She leaned her face toward his and kissed him, reassuring him.

The door swung open, and Betty and Jughead startled apart, both blushing.

"Betty Cooper," F.P. Jones smiled. "It's nice to see you again." F.P. had his typical five o'clock shadow that Betty had come to recognize, but his eyes were clearer and his cheeks fuller than she remembered. He had on a nice button down shirt with freshly washed jeans; a far cry from the leather jacket, greasy jeans and boots that she remembered him wearing for most of her childhood.

Betty reached out her hand, and he took it, shaking her hand gently. "Hi Mr. Jones, it's great to see you as well."

"Please, call me F.P." he smiled warmly, waving them inside. "It's been awhile. How've you been?"

He gestured for them to have a seat on the couch, and he sat across from them in his lucky armchair.

"Really great actually. School keeps me busy of course, but it's been really great having Jughead back," she said, smiling at Jughead.

F.P. watched Jughead and Betty exchange smiles, and leaned back in his chair. "Yeah Jughead here always had a crush on you. He used to talk about you nonstop. He used to beg me to let him stay at Archie's every night so he could be closer to you…"

"Oh my god Dad, please! Can you not?" Jughead interjected, blushing from embarrassment.

Betty laughed, resting her hand on Jughead's thigh. "Well it took you long enough to make your move Juggie!" Jughead fidgeted uncomfortably, while Betty and F.P. laughed at his reaction.

"Exactly what I told him. I told him for years, if he didn't jump soon he'd eventually lose you to some preppy jock type." He regarded Jughead, adding, "I guess he finally listened to his old man."

Jughead rolled his eyes. "Yeah, best advice you ever gave me," he said sarcastically.

"I'm glad you finally listened Jug. I was this close to dating the starting quarterback," she teased him. "But then you swooped on in with that irresistible smirk and sardonic humor. My kryptonite," she pretended to swoon, then kissed his cheek.

F.P. nodded approvingly toward Betty. "I always liked you Betty. You keep Jughead on his toes—he needs someone to keep him in check or he gets lost in that great big brain of his," he nodded toward Jughead, who looked down at his lap. F.P. continued, "You were always a good friend to Jughead. One of the only good things he had in his life," he stated honestly. "I suppose I owe you for that."

Betty smiled warmly. "It was my pleasure Mr. Jones." She reached for Jughead's hand, lacing her fingers through his, and looking at his face, she added, "he was always there for me as well. I'm very thankful for him." Jughead squeezed her hand in return.

F.P. cleared his throat. "So Jughead here informed me that he told you about the Serpents…"

Betty's stomach dropped for a moment, unsure of where this conversation was headed. Was he angry at Jughead for telling her? "Yeah, he did."

F.P. nodded slowly, taking his time in continuing. "I'm impressed that you didn't run," he finally said, with a smirk.

Betty shook her head, smiling. "Well, not yet anyway," she said with a wink. "Besides, the Serpents can't be all bad." She looked at Jughead, squeezing his hand again. "Because they brought you back to me."

F.P. took in the smiles being exchanged between his son and Betty Cooper. He focused on Jughead, and smiled approvingly. "Son. Hold onto this one. She's a keeper."

* * *

A few hours later, Jughead found himself sitting on the edge of his bed, with Betty Cooper, straddling his lap, her lips on his. They'd finished dinner with his dad a few minutes earlier and ended up back in his bedroom. Jughead hadn't planned this, but certainly wasn't complaining. Betty was currently running her hands through his hair, which he loved, and he was kissing her neck as she moaned lightly in appreciation.

He moved back to her mouth, his tongue slipping between her lips, and their kiss deepened. She was grinding her hips into his, her knees on either side of his legs, and he had his hands on her thighs, slipping below the hem of her skirt and pushing it up inch by inch. She pulled back, stopping the kiss, and looked into his eyes. She looked hungry. For him. Jughead moved to kiss her again, but she pulled back a bit, and moved her hands to his chest, beginning to unbutton his shirt. He smiled, and captured her lips with his, while she pulled his now unbuttoned shirt off of his shoulders. Still kissing, he pulled her cardigan down her arms and began kissing her shoulders and collarbone. She leaned her head back, gripping his biceps to hold herself steady. "Oh Juggie," Betty said breathily; Jughead smiling against her collarbone.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door and F.P. immediately burst into the room. They jumped apart at the interruption, and because Betty had been leaning back, she ended up falling off of Jughead's lap and onto the floor. Jughead lept up and helped her stand up. "Betty, are you okay?"

Betty blushed, smoothing her skirt and hair. "Yeah I'm fine," she said quickly, clearly embarrassed.

Jughead pulled his shirt back on and wiped his mouth on his sleeve, a look of irritation etched on his face, "Dad, c'mon! A little privacy please?"

"Sorry to interrupt…" he nodded abruptly in Betty's direction. "Jughead, it's about time you get Betty home. Something's come up" he added pointedly. "Maybe you should keep her company…elsewhere," he added.

Jughead and F.P. exchanged glances for a moment, and then Jughead sprang into action. He grabbed Betty's cardigan off the bed and reached for Betty's hand, pulling her toward the door. "We need to get out of here. Now." He rushed through the trailer, pulling a confused Betty behind him.

"Jughead, my purse!" Betty exclaimed as they rushed to the front door.

"Oh, right. Sorry," Jughead said apologetically. He forgot sometimes that not everyone lived their lives the way that he had grown up. Always prepped to run, always waiting for danger. He let go of her hand long enough for her to grab her purse from the kitchen counter, and then resumed his grip on her hand when she'd reached the door once again. Jughead turned and nodded to his dad, and the two of them escaped into the night air.

* * *

Betty remained silent until they'd climbed into the truck. Jughead was clearly in a hurry because he'd already backed out of the driveway before she had buckled her seatbelt. She knew better than to immediately start asking questions, but she knew that something bad was happening. Why else would Jughead react the way that he had? His eyes were wide, his face pale, and his mouth set in a hard line, as he drove out of the south side of town.

Betty couldn't hold back any longer. "Juggie…what just happened?"

Jughead shook his head in frustration. "I knew it was a bad idea to take you there. Dammit!" He slammed his fists against the steering wheel.

Betty reached out to rest her hand on his. "Juggie, it's okay. I'm fine. Nothing happened." She smiled reassuringly. "I wanted to be there."

Jughead pulled his hand away. "No Betty, you don't understand." He shook his head again, as if trying to clear his thoughts. More softly, he continued, "I put you in danger by bringing you there. God, I put you in danger just by being around you."

"Stop it Jughead. I _wanted_ to be there. And I want to be _with_ you." Betty paused for a moment, then continued more hesitantly. "What happened back there? Why are you so worried?"

Jughead didn't say anything, just stared straight ahead, gripping the steering wheel tightly, which Betty took to mean that she wasn't going to get an answer. They remained quiet for the rest of the drive back to Betty's, both lost in thought, and both afraid to break the silence.

Jughead stopped the car in front of her house and turned off the car. He turned to Betty and sighed. "I'm sorry Betty. I'm sorry for tonight, I'm sorry for being an ass. I'm not angry with you…I'm angry with myself. I knew better."

"Juggie, I don't understand. Just talk to me…why did we rush out of your house like that?" Betty pleaded to understand.

He sighed again. "I don't actually know what happened…it's just…a signal I guess. My dad taught me a signal, or phrase when I was a kid, 'something's come up.' That meant something was going down—Serpent business of some sort. So I was supposed to hide. Or I was supposed to go to your house or Archie's house."

Betty sighed, "Oh Juggie."

Jughead nodded. "So when my dad said that tonight, and you were there…I just freaked out. Because I remembered why I was so afraid to bring you into my world. I'm so afraid that you are going to get hurt because of me, because of my family." He clenched his fists. "And then I invited you into that house, _knowing_ that something bad could happen. It was so selfish of me." Jughead closed his eyes and leaned his head back. He took a deep breath and turned his head toward Betty. "Betty I can't do this to you."

Betty reached out her hand to rest against his cheek. "Jughead, you're not doing anything _to_ me. I'm choosing to be with you. Regardless of what you might think, you don't get to choose what I do. Which means that if I want to be with you, even with all of the Serpent drama, _I will be with you_." She smiled, waiting for him to meet her eyes. "So stop trying to get rid of me Jones."

Jughead cracked a smile. "So what you're saying is, I need to get over myself?" he smirked.

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying." She unbuckled her seatbelt and leaned over to kiss him. "Also, I don't think you should go home tonight. It's not safe for you either." She kept her face close to his, waiting for him to understand.

"You want me to stay with you?" he asked, surprised. "Would Mama Cooper approve?"

Betty kissed him again. "She doesn't need to know…and it's purely for safety reasons." She flashed a grin.

She pulled away, opened the car door and stepped out, turning towards her house. Over her shoulder she called out, "Well, are you coming?"

Jughead smiled, and got out of the truck, following her to the house.

* * *

 _So this is what home feels like,_ Jughead thought as he lied on his back in Betty's bed, with Betty snuggled up to his side. Her blonde hair splayed across his chest, and her arm rested across his stomach. He hadn't slept yet, and he may not actually sleep tonight, but he felt rested for the first time in months. He could hear Betty breathing, her heart beat against his own, somehow calming his anxious mind and body. Even with the threat of being caught by her parents, this was the first time he'd felt completely safe in a long time. With Betty in his arms.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading. I'd love to hear what you think!


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